Bathing cap



June 3, 1930. ow 1,761,302

BATHING CAP Filed Dec. 2, 1929 gmxwvl oa 7mm J 116mm,

Patented June 3, 1930 mom J. H OWI-AND, Oil LONG BRLNGH, NEW JERSEY BA'IEING CA2 4 Application Med December a, 1930. Serial No. 411,101'

This invention relates to bathing ea s particularly to a bathing cap provide "with, means for pocketin the ears, whereby'they" will be relieved of t e direct pressure of the bathing cap and effectively sealed against the entry of water. a

Various forms of bathing caps have heretofore been proposed which are intended, in one form or another, to pocket the ears and seal them against the entry of water, but none of them have proven entirely satisfactory in use. Accordin to one proposal the bathing cap is provided with openlngs opposite the ears, and the periphe of the openings is provided with ribs which project outwardly from the main portion 0 the cap and en-' circle the ears. The ribs generally conform to the shape of the ears and are of substantial thickness and of sufficient height to prevent a cover from pressing against the ear. Such a construction forms a pocket which effectively relieves the ears from ressure, but the ribs do not form a suflicient y tight seal with the head to keep out water under adverse conditions.

According to my invention the bathing cap is provided with car pockets formed by ribs encircling ear openings in the cap, but special means are provided adjacent the edges of the openings for forming an effective seal with the head of the wearer, such means preferably consisting of cups or air-pockets such as used in the bathing cap disclosed in my Patent No. 1,746,477, granted Feb. 11, 1930.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bathing ca Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an inside face view of a portion of the bathing cap showing the means adjacent the ear pockets for sealing them against the entry of water.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates a bathing cap ormed of elastic material and generally conforming to the contour of the head. The edge of the cap 10 is preferably reinforced by a member 11, the

inner side of which may be smooth or provided with ribs forming cups or air pockets as? described in'my aforesaid patent.

The cap'is provided on opposite sides with the ear receivmg o enings 12 which eneral- 1y conform tothe s ape of the ears. The riphery of these openings 12 are prefers. ly formed with outwardly rojecting ribs 13 which are of suflicient thlckness to prevent them from collapsin The ribs 13, together m with a cover 14 w ich covers their outer edges, form a pocket for the ears. The ribs 13 are'made of suflicient heighth so that the cover 14 is prevented from pressing against the ears. as

To more effectively seal the ear pocketsagainst the entry of water, the inner edges of the ribs 13 are provided with cups or air pockets 14 preferably formed by crossed ribs 15 which, under the influence of the elastic 7o material, bear against the head of the wearer and form a series of vacuum cups encircling the ear. These vacuum cups increase the adhesionbetween the periphery of the ear pockets and the head and form a watertight seal which will not be broken even under the most adverse conditions.

The cups or air pockets 14 are shown as being of diamond shape, but it is to be understood that cups of other shapes may be used so i and will just as effectively seal the pockets against the entry of water;'for example, the CEPS may be square, oval, round or any other s ape.

Although the cups or air pockets 14 will be found suflicient to maintain a watertight seal around the ears of most persons, a chin strap 16 is preferably provided as the hollow or depression where the jaw joins the neck is very pronounced on some persons, and with those persons the chin strap 16 will be found helpful in causing the cups or air pockets in the lower edge of the inside of the ear pockets to maintain a watertight contact with the skin of the wearer.

While the invention has been particularly described in connection with cups or air pockets for forming a watertight seal around the edges of the ear pockets, the invention is not limited to this particular means except as it is claimed specifically in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bathing cap comprising a mam portion of elastic material having ear-receivin openings, portions covering the openings an f0 ear pockets and means adjacent the edge 0? the openings and extending at least a part wa therearound and also extending inwardly mm the cap towards the head to form withftlhe head a watertight seal.

2. A ba ing cap comprising a main portion of elastic material having ear-receiving openings, portions covering the openings and forming ear pockets and ribs adjacent the edge of the openings and extending at least a partway therearound for forming a Water tight seal with the head of the wearer.

3. A bathing cap comprising a main portion of elastic material having ear-receivin openings, portions covering the openings an forming ear pockets and cups or air pockets adjacent the edge of the openings and extending at least a art way therearound for forming a watertight seal with the head of the wearer.

4. A bathing cap comprising a main poropenings, portions covering the openings an forming ear pockets and crossed ribs formin cups or air pockets adjacent the edge of the openings and extending at least a part way therearound for forming a watertlght seal with the head of the wearer.

5. A bathing cap comprising a main portion of elastic material having ear-receiving signings, outwardly extending ribs encirg t e openings, covers connected to the pro ecting edges of the ribs and forming with sai ribs ear-receiving pockets, and means formed on the inner edges of said ribs and extending at least a part way around said 0 gs for forming a watertight seal with e head.

6. A bathing cap comprising a main portion of elastic material having ear-receiving 8 tion of elastic material'having ear-receiving 0 in outwardly extending ribs encirc ing t e openings, covers connected to the pro ecting edges of the ribs and forming with said ribs ear-receiving pockets and ribs forming cups or air pockets on the inner edges of and ribs and extendin at least a part way around said openings or forming a watert' ht seal with the head.

testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS J. HOWLAND. 

